Overhead valve lubricating and cooling apparatus



, F. R. GOOD Sept. 25, 1951 OVERHEAD VALVE LUBRICATING AND COOLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 4, 1946 INVENTOR.

Franc/2s R 600d ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 25, 1951 fa'ssaazc I {OVERHEADVALVE LUBRIGATINGAND ,coonmo APPARATUS" Francis RLGcod, United$tates=Navy Application Noveniber 451946 SerialNo; 707547 -4ciaimsli- (Cl..123:90)-

(Grantedyunde'i the -act ofMarch 3; 1883, as e 11' ZTliisiinvention relates toapparatus for lubricate ing'and cooling the exhaust and intake valve mechanism of valverin-head engines such asfina ternal combustion engines, compressors, and'the like. 1 This,applicationisacontinuation in partpf copending, application Serial Number68'7g5451filed, August 1, 19.45, and a continuationv of "applic'a tionfsje'lialllliimber 690,648, jfil'ed August, I',' 1.94'6', both now abandoned. v

' 'It'is an object of this invention to eftlcientlyflow a. suitablelubricant from rocker arms to valve stems and. associated .rapparatus in engines,

compressors, andsimilar equipment, .for thepur; posesof. lubricating and 'coolingthese members. The flow-of lubricant over these parts. .servingto conduct away theiheat. while lubricating the movmg lparts. thus. preventing excessive we'arll and permitting-closer setting .of the. valves when ,cold. maintenance of proper clearance. the. valves dueato lower temperature operatiomaandli con-1 sequent .quietrand efiicient operation. 1 @ltjis a further object. I. thisinyention to pro-j vide'; an .oilreservoir on a. valve, stemginlproximit'yf. to thehrocker .arm, whereby lubricant .'from... tlie' rocker armlmay. readilyfiojw .toithe reservoir;v

,"Itl is a still further. object. oft/this invention to provide simple and .efiective..means for-attaching. anoilreservoir to. a valve stem.

Another object of this. invent'cn is. to. provide. means on astandardirocker arm adapted to,,.con-I duct/.oilirom the rocker .arm .bearingfito. ares-s. emoiri supported on. the valve stem withwhich the. rockerarm cooperates.

.Another object of this invention..is..to .provide nieansfor retainingan .oilconducting tube lupon arocker arm. in such positiorrthat the tube will conduct oil to a reservoir supportedgonlthe valve stem with. which the rocker arm cooperates.

Another object or thisinvention. isntoi provide a rocker arm adapted to conduct oil to a reservoir supported on the valve stem with which the rocker arm cooperates.

Another object of the inventionis to provide means for preventing the oil flowing over the end of the valve stem from entering the cylinder.

Furtherobjects and advantages of this invention aswell as its construction; arrangement. and Operation will be.- apparent:-from' the followin description and claims in connection :with: the accompanying drawings,, in which the single figure shows an elevation viewggpartly intssection, of a rocker arm with coacting valve stem and associated parts.

In the figure a rocker arm [0, supported for amendedi A-pril lsfi 1928; 370 0. G. 757) partialj'rotation on .hollow oil filled shaft 'jfll, isjprovidedat one end withv a tapped hole [2 wherein ,a suitable adjusting screw (not shown) is secured for contact with. the push rod (not shown). In the upper portion of rocker warm/Ill a suitable oilway I3 is provided'so that, due to the motion of the rocker arm, lubricantfrom hollow shaft H. will be forced outward'through, the upper hole I la, which has restricted come munication withthe oilway 13. when the rocker arm is" in the valve-closed, limit positionshown in the drawing. Thence the lubricant flows thru tube l5 and if no additional parts'were provided, wouldfbe sprayedover the valve stem contact end it and from there flow downthe valve stem and; adjacent apparatus for cooling and lubricat ing these parts. The apparatus thus farrdescribed constitutes a conventional method of lubricating, the parts indicated. 7 y

'In this invention 'a lubricant conducting tube l5','of 'copperor any other suitable material; is force fitted or otherwise secured at. one endrto. theioilway l3, bent to roughly conform with the contour of" rocker arm 10; and terminating near, its contact end [4.

v A spring wire clip over and behindtub'e erarrn ljll,then b ent; derthe rocker :arm, then upward and around the. outer: diameter of bearing hllbll'l onithe front sideofthe rocker arm, and then bent rearward I6 is bentifromn the ,front I.5,jtoward the back of rock-. downward and forward un under "the adjusting screw .end oftherocker arm,

formingasim'ple, and efficient clip to. secure tube l 5"in= suitable. operating position.

The circular cup l'8 ,.of aluminum. or any suit-; able material adapted" to quickly conduct, 1 the heatfrorn the upper end of valve stem 26; is drilled jtoffit over the end of. the valve stem and provided with one portion of, a dovetail joint in its hub "or "base.v "Ajportion 19, of "the normal diameter of valve stem. 25; is. reduced 'to;permitfla cup retaining split collaror keeper 20, which contains the sec: ond portion ofthe dovetail 'Jointrto be retained i nnthe, slot formedby this re'ducedj diametrical portion bfflthevalve.stem so that whenithe oil cup, or reservoir l8-is placed" in positio'n"over the larger diameter of the end of the valve stem,,and thetwohalves of split collar 20' inserted in place, these members. are readilymaintained' in operatingposition by means of, spring retaining collar 21, .which' isprovidedi with a tapered-bore jcoacty ing with "the tapered outer diameter of'split collar 20, when upward pressure is placed on the collar 2| as by a spring 25.

Immediately below cup [8 is placed a ring or washer 22 of cork of other suitable lubrication sealing material, and between the spring retaining collar 2| and spring 25 placed a skirt or washer 23 of aluminum or other suitable material having its outer diametrical portion projected downward to act as an apron and prevent lubricant overflowing from cup l8 from running down the valve stem 26 and finding its way into the cylinder. This apron is particularly desirable in connection with the intake. valves, and especially so in diesel engines, where the suction from the cylinder may draw in any oil around the valve stem and cause excessive smoking at the exhaust. In an actual test where excessive smoking was present the use of the apron above described was found to substantially eliminate the smoke and thus increase the usefulness and efficiency of the apparatus.

The arrangement herein shown and described has been found by actual test to be considerably more efficient than the method used heretofore and concentrates the cooling medium at surfaces desired without undesired contact with surrounding parts and consequent inefiicient use and loss of the lubricant.

Retaining a quantity of relatively cool lubricant in heat conducting cup I8 for a short period of time tends to more effectively transfer the heat from the valve stem 26 than would occur. if the cooling medium was allowed to rapidly flow over these parts with insufficient time of contact for efiicient heat transfer.

, It will be understood that this invention may be made and utilized in any suitable shape, size, or arrangement, depending upon the work to be accomplished and that various modifications and changes may be made in this invention without V departing from the spirit and scope thereof as including, in addition to the valve stem having a circumferential groove near the top thereof,.a collar having a tapered bore, a two-part,or split, tapered keeper embracing said stem at the groove and held within said collar bore, and a spring compressed beneath said collar, comprising: a split, tapered keeper adapted to replace the first mentioned keeper and characterized thereover by the provision of recesses in the inner surfaces 0f its two halves adjacent the valve stem; and a cup having an upwardly extending recess in the base thereof adapted to seat over the top of the valve stem, said cup having an outwardly extending flange portion on the base thereof around said recess adapted to lock into the recesses in said keeper.

2. A valve improvement kit of parts adapted to be installed upon the head of a valve stem in an overhead valve type of engine, said engine including, in addition to the valve stem having a circumferential groove near the top thereof, a collar having a tapered bore, a two-part, or split, tapered keeper embracing said stem at the groove and held within said collar bore, and a spring compressed beneath said collar, comprising: a split, tapered keeper adapted to replace the first mentioned keeper and characterized thereover by the provision of an inwardly extending groove around the inner surface of the keeper adjacent the valve stem; and a cup having an upwardly extending recess in the base thereof adapted to seat over the top of the valve stem, said cup having on the base thereof a flange adapted to lock into the groove in said keeper.

3. A valve improvement kit of parts adapted to be installed upon the head of a valve stem in an overhead valve type of engine, said engine including, in addition to the valve stem having a circumferential groove near the top thereof, a collar having a tapered bore, a two-part, or split, tapered keeper embracing said stem at the groove and held within said collar bore, and a spring compressed beneath said collar, comprising: a split, tapered keeper adapted to replace the first mentioned keeper and characterized thereover by the provision of an inwardly extending, annular groove around the inner surface of thekeeper adjacent the valve stem; a cup having a central bore thru the base thereof adapted to seat around the top of the valve stem, said cup having an outwardly extending annular flange on the base thereof around said recess adapted to look into the groove in said keeper; and a washer adapted to be inserted around the upper edge of said second mentioned keeper immediately beneath said cup.

4. A valve improvement kit of parts adapted to be installed adjacent the head of a valve stem in an overhead valve type of engine, said engine including, in addition to the valve stem having a circumferential groove near the top thereof, a collar having a tapered bore, a two-part, or split, tapered keeper embracing said stem at the groove and held within said collar bore, and a spring compressed beneath said collar, and a rocker arm bearing against the, top of the valve stem; comprising: a split, tapered keeper adapted to replace the first mentioned keeper and characterized thereover by the provision of an inwardly extending, annular, dovetail groove around the inner surface of the keeper adjacent the valve stem; a cup having a central bore thru the base thereof adapted to seat around the top of the valve stem, said cup having on the base thereof an outwardly extending annular dovetail joint around said recess adapted to lock into the dovetail groove in said keeper; a washer adapted to be inserted around the upper edge of said second mentioned keeper immediately beneath said cup; a skirt having an inwardly extending flange adapted to be held against the under side of said collar by the spring, a tube adapted to be secured to said rocker arm for conveying oil into said cup; and a spring wire adapted to clip over said rockerarm to hold said tube thereto.

FRANCIS R. GOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

